In Washington State’s Puget Sound, the world’s largest burrowing clams have spawned a fledgling aquaculture industry as well as a battle over beach access, aesthetics, and possible damage to birds, fish, and other marine life. But the issues of environmental stewardship are far from black and white.

Developers continue to call the shots in the western Everglades, where the Endangered Species Act and the Clean Water Act are routinely flouted. Meanwhile, wetlands that protect against floods, provide the public with drinking water, and sustain all kinds of wildlife are being destroyed by federal sleight of hand.

Federal wildlife officers are cracking down on hobbyists who kill raptors that prey on the pigeons they raise. But criminals rarely get more than a slap on the wrist because the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, an effective and versatile tool for 90 years, has lost its edge and needs sharpening.

The Rio Grande Valley in south Texas is one of this nation’s most biologically rich areas—home to our largest remaining stand of sabal palms, rare ocelots, and bird species found nowhere else. So why would the United States be planning to build a wall that would do little to stop illegal immigration, do a lot to harm wildlife, and effectively cede much of this land to Mexico?

Since Hurricane Katrina, there have been encouraging signs that federal and state agencies finally understand that healthy wetlands and barrier islands can protect the public from storm surges. Even so, faith in levees that enclose wetlands dies hard, illustrating the clash between old and new thinking.